Global Macadamias announced updated pricing during the release of its national price list in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. Waldo de Klerk, the company's grower liaison manager, said the U.S. dollar price for whole macadamia kernels increased by 4.4 per cent, from US$13.50/kg last year to US$14.10/kg this year.
Despite the higher U.S. dollar price, the stronger South African rand reduces grower returns. The exchange rate moved from R18.25/US$1 during the 2025 season to R16.50/US$1 at the start of the 2026 season.
Prices for macadamia halves and pieces declined by 8.7 per cent, from US$9.90/kg last year to US$9.04/kg this year. Higher volumes of half kernels and a developing market for this product widened the price gap between whole kernels and halves.
Global Macadamias corporate general manager Graeme Taylor said market conditions may improve following tariff changes in key markets.
"At the start of last year, macadamia sales were really gaining momentum, but [U.S. President Donald Trump's] 'Liberation Day' tariffs, and the volatility that followed, scared a lot of buyers. Now that the tariff has been reduced to zero, at least for this year, we are seeing a lot more interest in macadamias.
"Buyers are quite confident that the tariff debacle will settle down, and as confidence in macadamia supply rises, so too will demand, and potentially prices down the line."
Taylor said market access expanded in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe during periods when U.S. demand slowed.
"When the U.S. market paused, the rest of the world kept moving. We've been able to open markets and sales channels in previously unserved regions, including those in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Japan.
"Sales to Europe are also expanding, both within traditional areas like Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and new countries like Poland and Lithuania," Taylor said.
He added that the expected removal of a 12 per cent tariff on South African macadamias exported to China could support sales.
"Both in-shell and kernel sales into China are expected to rise this year, although caution is needed to avoid overreliance on this market."
Exports to the Middle East expanded last year, although the current conflict in the region may affect trade in the short term. Taylor said rising production from new orchards means the industry is supplying larger volumes to international markets.
Source: Farmer's Weekly
